Process for producing a cholesterol-reduced substance

ABSTRACT

An enzymatic process is presented for reducing the cholesterol level of foods and feeds by converting the cholesterol therein to coprostanol which has a very low intestinal tract absorbability. Cholesterol in meat, egg, milk, seafood and cooked processed foods containing the same, or feeds for animals, poultry, and pisiculture can be reduced by the sequential action of three enzymes isolated from a eubacterium: cholesterol dehydrogenase, 4-cholesten-3-one dehydrogenase and coprostan-3-one dehydrogenase.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a method for producing acholesterol-reduced substance, a cholesterol-reducing composition and anovel cholesterol dehydrogenase, 4-cholesten-3-one dehydrogenase andcoprostane-3-one dehydrogenase for using the above-mentioned purpose.

BACKGROUND ART

It is widely known that excess intake of food having high cholesterolcontent increases the amount of cholesterol in serum and that highcholesterol content in serum is a significant factor in heart diseases.Therefore, processing techniques are required for selectively reducingthe amount of cholesterol in food without deteriorating the quality ofthe food.

Among techniques for reducing the amount of cholesterol in food, amethod is known that decomposes cholesterol with microorganisms(Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 267231/88) as a biochemicaltechnique; however, this method produces by-products, therefore, it isnot a safe method. Further, a method in which cholesterol is convertedto epicholesterol by using an enzyme is known (WO93/25702).

Beitz, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,921,710 describes a method for convertingcholesterol to coprostanol by using a cholesterol reductase derived fromplants, and suggests a method for converting cholesterol to coprostanolby using a cholesterol reductase derived from bacteria such asEubacterium species ATCC 21408. Also, Beitz, et al., U.S. Pat. No.5,436,004 describes that the conversion ratio from cholesterol tocoprostanol as 0.01% when a cream is treated using the above-mentionedenzyme derived from plants (see, column 5, table 1). However, such a lowconversion ratio to coprostanol can not be admitted as practical level.

EYSSEN, British patent 1237483 describes that Eubacterium speciesbacterium separated from feces of rats reduces cholesterol tocoprostanol, and also, in EYSSEN, Biochemica et Biophysica Acta,348,279-284 (1974), it is estimated that the bacterium reducescholesterol to coprostanol via 4-cholesten-3-one.

Beitz, et al., Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology 43, 887 (1995)describes that Eubacterium species bacterium (ATCC 51222) convertscholesterol in micelle to coprostanol, that 4-cholesten-3-one and traceamounts of coprostane have been detected in the conversion process, andthat the reduction mechanism of cholesterol using the above-mentionedbacterium might be studied after pure preparations of the cholesterolreductase are obtained.

However, up to now, it has not been confirmed that cholesterol in asubstance containing cholesterol is converted via 4-cholesten-3-one andcoprostane-3-one to coprostanol by utilizing enzymatic action ofcholesterol dehydrogenase, 4-cholesten-3-one dehydrogenase,coprostane-3-on dehydrogenase with using a coenzyme NAD (P) and NAD (P)H, and enzymes which convert cholesterol in a substance containingcholesterol to coprostanol via 4-cholesten-3-one and coprostane-3-one,respectively, have not been isolated from bacterium which reducescholesterol, and in addition, no report have been proposed in which foodis treated with these converting enzymes and microorganism containingthe same.

It is known that cholesterol dehydrogenase derived from Nocardia,Alcaligenes, Proteus, which has optimum pH of around 9.0, requires NAD(P) as a coenzyme, and is used for a quantitative determination ofcholesterol (Japanese Post-Examined Patent Publication No.18064/90),however, this enzyme exhibits low activity at neutral pH , so that itcan not be admitted as practical for food treatment.

Testing has been tried to obtain 4-cholesten-3-one dehydrogenase fromthe feces of a rat, however, the dehydrogenase is rapidly deactivatedand can not be purified in this method, therefore, the method can not beadmitted as practical (European J. of Biochemistry 37, 143 (1973)).

It is known that treatment of food with a phospholipase, protease andlipase accelerates conversion by a cholesterol oxidase (JapaneseLaid-Open Patent publication No.76311/93), however, effect in enzymaticconversion of cholesterol to coprostanol is not known yet.

It is known that meat contains NAD (H) (Journal of Food Science 37, 612(1972)), and that nicotinamide inhibits decomposition of NAD (Archivesof Biochemistry and Biophisics 156, 143 (1973)). However, addition ofnicotinamide in enzymatically converting cholesterol to coprostanol isnot known.

It is known that an introduction of the cholesterol oxidase gene intolactic acid bacteria for decomposing food cholesterol (AppliedMicrobiology and Biotechnology 37, 330 (1992)).

As an applied example of these enzymes, the above-mentioned Beitz, etal., U.S. Pat. No. 5,436,004 suggests a treating method for reducing theamount of cholesterol in serum in which a cholesterol reductase derivedfrom plants is orally administered. Further, it is reported that if abacterium (ATCC 51222) which reduces cholesterol is orally administeredto a rabbit suffering from hypercholesterolemia, the cholesterol levelin serum decreases (Letters in Applied Microbiology 20, 137 (1995)).

Since absorbability of coprostanol through the intestinal tract is verylow (American J. of Physiology 251, G495 (1986)), conversion ofcholesterol to coprostanol is effective as a cholesterol reducingmethod. A practical method is not known for producing acholesterol-reduced substance which reduces cholesterol by enzymaticallyconverting cholesterol in food via 4-cholesten-3-one andcoprostane-3-one to coprostanol. Also, a method for producing apractical enzyme which can be used in the above-mentioned productionmethod is not known.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

The object of the present invention is to provide a novel method forproducing a practical cholesterol-reduced substance in food and feed.Another object of the present invention is to provide a novelcholesterol dehydrogenase having optimum pH in neutral pH range which issuitable for the above-mentioned practical method for producing acholesterol-reduced substance, a novel 4-cholesten-3-one dehydrogenaseand coprostane-3-one dehydrogenase having an optimum pH in a weak acidicpH range possessed by meat, and microbial cells and a treated materialthereof containing these enzymes. A further object of the presentinvention is to provide a cholesterol-reducing composition which reducescholesterol level in serum, comprising the above-mentioned three kindsof novel enzymes or comprising microbial cells containing these novelenzymes.

The present inventors have screened various microorganisms such as stockmicroorganisms mainly including 300 kinds (species categories) ofactinomycetes, fungi and bacteria, aerobic bacteria separated from 100kinds of various soils, and anaerobic bacteria from 7 feces samples ofhumans, 8 feces samples of mammals other than human and 9 feces samplesof birds, to find a cholesterol reduction converting enzyme group havingoptimum pH in a neutral pH range or weak acidic range for solving theabove-mentioned problems, and have intensively examined a culture mediumfor enzymatic activity detection and a method for recovering microbialcells, as a result, have accomplished the present invention.

Namely, the present invention relates to a process for producing acholesterol-reduced substance and a method for reducing the amount ofcholesterol, wherein cholesterol in a substance containing cholesterolsuch as meat, egg, milk, seafood and cooked processed food containingthe same, or feed for animals, poultry and pisciculture, and the like,is treated with three kinds of enzymes consisting of cholesteroldehydrogenase having optimum pH in neutral pH range and4-cholesten-3-one dehydrogenase and coprostan-3-one dehydrogenase havingoptimum pH in a weak acidic range or microbial cells containing theseenzymes, to convert cholesterol to coprostanol for reducing the amountof cholesterol.

Further, the present invention relates to the above-mentioned threekinds of enzymes consisting of cholesterol dehydrogenase having optimumpH in a neutral pH range and 4-cholesten-3-one dehydrogenase andcoprostan-3-one dehydrogenase having optimum pH in weak acidic range,produced by a strain belonging to Eubacterium, a cholesterol-reducingcomposition comprising these three kinds of enzymes, and acholesterol-reducing composition comprising a strain belonging toEubacterium which produce this enzyme group.

Further, the present invention relates to a process for producing acholesterol-reduced substance and a method for reducing the amount ofcholesterol wherein nicotinamide, phospholipase and nicotinamide, or aphosphate ion are added when cholesterol in a cholesterol-containingsubstance is converted to coprostanol by utilizing the above-mentionedenzyme group.

The process for producing a cholesterol-reduced substance of the presentinvention will be described in detail below.

In the present invention, examples of the cholesterol-containingsubstance include meat, egg, milk, seafood and cooked processed foodscontaining the same, or feeds for animals, poultry and pisciculture, andthe like, but are not limited to them providing the substance containingcholesterol.

In the present invention, the cholesterol dehydrogenase is an enzymeconducting the following reaction.

Cholesterol+NAD(P)→4-cholesten-3-one+NAD(P)H.

Further, in the present invention, the 4-cholesten-3-one dehydrogenaseis an enzyme conducting the following reaction.

4-Cholesten-3-one+NAD(P)H→coprostan-3-one+NAD(P).

Similarly, in the present invention, the coprostan-3-one dehydrogenaseis an enzyme conducting the following reaction.

Coprostan-3-one+NAD(P)H→coprostanol+NAD(P).

In the present invention, the term “optimum pH” refers to a pH range inwhich relative active value is not less than 80% of the maximum activevalue, and the case in which pH 7.0 is included in such a pH range isreferred to as “having optimum pH in a neutral pH range” in the presentinvention.

Similarly, the phrase “having optimum pH in a weak acidic range” in thepresent invention refers to a case in which pH 5.5 is included in theoptimum pH range and the maximum active value exists in the acidic side.

For converting cholesterol in a cholesterol-containing substance tocoprostanol via 4-cholesten-3-one and coprostan-3-one by utilizing theenzymatic actions of cholesterol dehydrogenase, 4-cholesten-3-onedehydrogenase and coprostan-3-one dehydrogenase sequentially in thepresent invention, any of an enzymatic conversion method using theseenzymes and a microbial conversion method using microbial cells havingthese enzymatic activities can be used.

As the enzymatic conversion method, there is listed, for example, amethod in which enzymes having activities of the above-mentionedcholesterol dehydrogenase, 4-cholesten-3-one dehydrogenase andcoprostan-3-one dehydrogenase are added to a cholesterol-containingsubstance for converting cholesterol to coprostanol, and the enzymewhich can be used in this enzymatic conversion method is not limited toa purified enzyme and may also be a crude enzyme which has not beenpurified but has enzymatic activity.

It is particularly desirable in this enzymatic conversion method to besequentially treated with cholesterol dehydrogenase, the treatment with4-cholesten-3-one dehydrogenase and the treatment with coprostan-3-onedehydrogenase continuously by successively adding the enzymes and thelike, from practical points of view such as simplification of the enzymetreatment process, improvement of conversion rate, and the like.

As the above-mentioned microbial conversion method, there is listed amethod in which microbial cells having at least one enzymatic activityof cholesterol dehydrogenase activity, 4-cholesten-3-one dehydrogenaseactivity and coprostan-3-one dehydrogenase activity, or a treatedmaterial thereof are added to a cholesterol-containing substance forconverting cholesterol to coprostanol, and it is desirable to usemicrobial cells having these enzymatic activities simultaneously or atreated material thereof. Further, a recombinant microbial cells havingthese enzymatic activities or a treated material thereof can also beused.

The material having the above-mentioned enzymatic activity (hereinafter,referred to as “enzyme source”) is usually added in the form of a powderor aqueous solution to a cholesterol-containing substance. Further, ifnecessary, coenzymes such as NAD (P), NAD (P) H and the like, enzymessuch as phospholipase, lipase, protease and the like, or nicotinamide,phosphate ion and the like can be used alone or in combination togetherwith the enzyme source.

In treatment for meat, for example, beef, pork, mutton or chicken, theenzyme source is mixed with minced meat, dispersed in sliced meat orinjected in block meat. Further, the enzyme source can also be injectedin blood vessels before and after slaughtering.

In treatment for milk, the enzyme source is added to milk, or milk ispassed through a carrier to which the enzyme source is fixed. Further,in the case of fermented milk food, the enzyme source can also be addedat milk fermentation.

In the treatment for eggs, the enzyme source is injected in the wholeegg, or the enzyme source is mixed with yolk obtained by cracking theegg.

Further, when meat, milk, egg or seafood is cooked, the enzyme sourcemay be added.

Regarding feeds for animals, poultry and pisciculture, it is possible touse a raw material for feed which has been treated with the enzymesource, or to mix the enzyme source in the process for preparing a feed.

In the above-mentioned enzymatic treatment, treatment conditions(temperature, time, pH) and the amount of enzyme to be added under whichenzymatic conversion to coprostanol is possible are selected, and ingeneral, the treatment is conducted at reaction temperature of 2 to 70°C. and pH of 4 to 9 for 0.5 to 1×10³ hours, and it is desirable to useda cholesterol reductase having optimum pH in the pH range possessed bythe cholesterol-containing food itself to be treated in a practicalpoint of view.

The amount used of each enzyme which is cholesterol dehydrogenase,4-cholesten-3-one dehydrogenase or coprostan-3-one dehydrogenase to beused is from 1 to 1×10⁵ units, preferably from 1×10² to 1×10⁴ units pergram of cholesterol in food.

Optionally, NAD(P) or NAD(P)H which is a coenzyme of the above-mentionedenzyme can be added in an amount of 1×10⁻⁴ to 2×10² g per gram ofcholesterol.

Optionally, nicotinamide can also be added in an amount from 0.01 to 5%in terms of concentration in food. In meat which exhibits strongactivity of decomposing these coenzymes it is preferable to addednicotinamide in an amount of 0.1% or more.

If required, a phosphate ion can also be added in an amount from 5 to 25mM.

If occasion requires, it is also possible to add a phospholipase in anamount from 1 to 1×10⁵ units per gram of a phospholipid and to add alipase in an amount from 1 to 1×10⁵ units per gram of a lipid.

Specific examples of the novel enzymes of the present invention includecholesterol dehydrogenase A, 4-cholesten-3-one dehydrogenase A andcoprostan-3-one dehydrogenase A, cholesterol dehydrogenase B,4-cholesten-3-one dehydrogenase B and coprostan-3-one dehydrogenase B.The method for production and the physical and chemical properties ofthese enzymes are described below.

The microorganism used in producing the novel cholesterol dehydrogenaseA, 4-cholesten-3-one dehydrogenase A and coprostan-3-one dehydrogenase Amay be any microorganism having ability to produce the above-mentionedcholesterol dehydrogenase A, 4-cholesten-3-one dehydrogenase A andcoprostan-3-one dehydrogenase A, and may also be a variant species orvariant strain thereof. As a specific example of the microorganismhaving ability to produce the cholesterol dehydrogenase A,4-cholesten-3-one dehydrogenase A and coprostan-3-one dehydrogenase A,for example, Eubacterium sp. CP 2 is listed.

The above-mentioned Eubacterium sp. CP 2 is a strain which has beennewly separated from the feces of lions by the present inventors, andmycological properties thereof are as follows.

The present strain exhibits excellent growth by standing culture in asolution under anaerobic conditions at 37° C. using the following basalmedium. Tests regarding various properties were investigated under thiscondition.

Basal medium; 1% Casitone, 1% yeast extract, 0.5% soluble starch, 0.5%sodium pyruvate, 0.05% sodium thioglycolate, 0.05% calcium chloride,0.0001% Resazurin, and 0.01% lecithin (pH 7.5)

(a) Morphological Properties

{circle around (1)} Form of cell; short rod bacterium, and sometimesshown as almond figure.

{circle around (2)} Size of cell; 0.5 to 0.7 μm×0.7 to 1.0 μm

{circle around (3)} Polymorphism; none

{circle around (4)} Mobility; none

{circle around (5)} Spore; none

(b) Cultural Properties

No growth was observed in bouillon plate agar-media and bouillon brothmedium under aerobic or anaerobic conditions.

Cultural properties under a culturing condition and basal medium inwhich the present strain can grow are shown below.

{circle around (1)} Basal medium agar plate culture (culturing for 14days)

i) Appearance of growth; forming weak small colony

ii) Color; transparent white

iii) Gloss; recognized

iv) Dispersible pigment; none

{circle around (2)} Basal medium solution culture (culturing for 3 days)

i) Growth on surface; none

ii) Turbidity; grown in the form of white emulsion at the bottom part

{circle around (3)} Gelatin stab culture in Basal medium

i) Condition of growth; excellent

ii) Liquefaction of gelatin; none

(C) Physiological Properties in Basal Medium Culture

{circle around (1)} Gram staining; positive

{circle around (2)} Reduction of nitrate; negative

{circle around (3)} Denitrification reaction; negative

{circle around (4)} MR test; negative

{circle around (5)} VP test; negative

{circle around (6)} Generation of indole; negative

{circle around (7)} Generation of hydrogen sulfide; positive

{circle around (8)} Hydrolysis of starch; negative

{circle around (9)} Decomposition of esculin; positive

{circle around (10)} Utilization of an inorganic nitrogen source in amedium which has been obtained by removing 1% casitone and 1% yeastextract from the basal medium

i) Nitrate; negative

ii) Ammonium salt; negative

{circle around (11)} Generation of pigment; none

{circle around (12)} Urease; negative

{circle around (13)} Oxidase; negative

{circle around (14)} Catalase; negative

{circle around (15)} Growth range

i) Growth pH range; pH 6.0 to pH 7.7 (optimum growth;

around pH 7.3)

ii) Growth temperature range; 28 to 44° C. (optimum growth temperature;around 35° C.)

{circle around (16)} Attitude against oxygen; strictly anaerobic

{circle around (17)} O-F test (Hugh Leifson method); negative

{circle around (18)} Generation of acid and gas

i) L-arabinose; acid (none), gas (none)

ii) D-xylose; acid (none), gas (none)

iii) D-glucose; acid (observed), gas (none)

iv) D-mannose; acid (observed), gas (none)

v) D-fructose; acid (none), gas (none)

vi) D-galactose; acid (observed), gas (none)

vii) Maltose; acid (none), gas (none)

viii)Sucrose; acid (none), gas (none)

ix) Lactose; acid (none), gas (none)

x) Trehalose; acid (none), gas (none)

xi) D-sorbitol; acid (none), gas (none)

xii) D-mannitol; acid (none), gas (none)

xiii)Inositol; acid (none), gas (none)

xiv) Glycerin; acid (none), gas (none)

xv) Starch; acid (none), gas (none)

xvi) Metabolite from saccharides; butyric acid or acetic acid

(d) Other Various Properties; Test According to An-IDENT

{circle around (1)} α-glucosidase; positive

{circle around (2)} β-glucosidase; positive

{circle around (3)} Alkali phosphatase; positive

{circle around (4)} α-galactosidase; positive

{circle around (5)} Phenylalanineamino peptidase; negative

{circle around (6)} Decomposition of arginine; positive

{circle around (7)} Decomposition indoxyl acetate; negative

The present strain was of a gram positive strictly anaerobic short rodbacterium, did not form a spore, had no mobility, was negative againstall of a catalase, oxidase and urease and formed acids from glucose andlactose, and main metabolite thereof was butyric acid or acetic acid.The classificational position of the strain having these mycologicalproperties was compared with the description of Bergey's Manual ofSystematic Bacteriology vol. 2, 1986, as a result, the strain wasidentified as a bacterium belonging to Eubacterium, and the CP 2 strainwas named as Eubacterium sp. CP 2. This strain was deposited in the nameof FERM BP-5501 to National Institute of Bioscience and Human-TechnologyAgency of Industrial Science and Technology (Higashi 1-1-3, TsukubaCity, Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan) on Apr. 12, 1996.

As the medium used for culturing a microorganism which producescholesterol dehydrogenase A, 4-cholesten-3-one dehydrogenase A andcoprostan-3-one dehydrogenase A of the present invention, any of asynthetic medium or natural medium containing a carbon source, nitrogensource, inorganic substance and the like can be used.

As the carbon source, for example, various carbohydrate can be used suchas a soluble starch, lactose, pyruvic acid, glucose, molasses and thelike, and the amount used thereof is preferably from 1 to 20 g/L.

As the nitrogen source, for example, ammonium sulfate, ammoniumphosphate, ammonium carbonate and ammonium acetate, ornitrogen-containing organic compounds such as peptone, yeast extract,corn steep liquor, casein decomposed material, meat extract, and thelike, can be used, and the amount used thereof is preferably from 1 to20 g/L.

As the inorganic substance, for example, sodium chloride, calciumchloride, magnesium sulfate and the like are used, and the amount usedthereof is preferably from 0.1 to 2 g/L. The amount used of a surfactantsuch as lecithin and the like is preferably from 0.01 to 1 g/L. Theamount used of sodium thioglycolate is preferably from 0.1 to 1 g/L.

Culturing is conducted under an anaerobic condition by standing cultureor stirring culture. Culturing temperature may advantageously be atemperature at which a microorganism grows and produces cholesteroldehydrogenase A, 4-cholesten-3-one dehydrogenase A and coprostan-3-onedehydrogenase A, and preferably from 35 to 40° C. Culturing periodvaries depending on conditions, and culturing may advantageously beconducted until the maximum amount of cholesterol dehydrogenase A,4-cholesten-3-one dehydrogenase A and coprostan-3-one dehydrogenase Aare produced, and usually from about 5 to 10 days.

Cholesterol dehydrogenase A that is produced by the CP 2 strain is anovel enzyme, and the physical and chemical properties and method forpurification thereof are as follows.

(a) Action: It catalyses the Following Reaction.

Cholesterol+NADP→4-cholesten-3-one+NADPH.

(b) Substrate Specificity

The present enzyme reacts with steroid having a hydroxyl group at 3βposition, and has relative activity of 38, 74, and 30 regarding βsitosterol, campesterol, stigmasterol when the activity of cholesterolis 100.

(c) Optimum pH: 6.5 to 7.8

(d) Stable pH: 5.3 to 9.0.

An enzyme solution was allowed to stand still at 37° C. for 15 minutesusing various pH buffer solutions, and remaining activity was measured,and pH range in which activity was not less than 50% of the maximumactive value was regarded as a stable pH range. (The following is thesame.)

(e) Measurement of Titer:

With 0.2 ml of 3 mM cholesterol micelle solution containing 0.33% TritonX-100 is mixed 0.3 ml of a 20 mM piperazine-N,N′-bis-(2-ethane sulfuricacid) (hereinafter, referred to as “PIPES”) buffer solution (pH 7.5)containing 0.5% Triton X-100 and 1 mM dithiothreitol (hereinafter,referred to as “DTT”), and 0.1 ml of a 10 mM NAD solution, the resultedmixture is added 0.05 ml of an enzyme solution, reacted for 30 minutesat 37° C., and then added 0.1 ml of chloroform to extract sterol and toterminate the reaction.

Then, the quantity of 4-cholesten-3-one produced in the reactionsolution is determined using TLC/FID iatroscan. The quantity of4-cholesten-3-one produced in the reaction solution is determinedlikewise using an inactivated enzyme which has been previously heated asa control. The enzyme activity which produces 1 μmol of4-cholesten-3-one per one minute is regarded as 1 unit.

(f) Range of Suitable Reaction Temperature:

In reaction at pH 7.5 for 30 minutes, increasing temperature up to 40°C. is attended by increasing activity.

(g) Range of Temperature Stability

After heating treatment at 40° C. for 10 minutes, it keeps activity ofnot less than 80% of that before the treatment.

(h) Influence of Inhibitor, Metal Ion:

When 1 mM p-chloro mercury phenylsulfonate (PCMB), iodine acetamide andethylenediamine tetraacetate (EDTA) are added and reacted for 30 minutesat pH 7.5 and 37° C., the relative activities are 0, 82 and 105respectively, if the enzyme activity without adding inhibitor is definedas 100. Further, when the present enzyme is reacted in the presence of 1mM iron chloride and copper chloride, the relative activities are 95 and3.2, respetively, in comparison with the case of no addition.

(i) Purification Method:

Microbial cells are collected from the culture by centrifugalseparation, and the cells are suspended in a 20 mM PIPES buffer solution(pH 7.5, containing 1 mM MDTT) . The cells are disrupted byultrasonication, further, treated with ultrasonication in the presenceof 0.2% Triton X-100, solid components are removed by centrifugalseparation, to obtain a crude enzyme solution. The crude enzyme solutionis dialyzed against a 20 mM PIPES buffer solution (pH 7.5, containing 1mM DTT, 0.2% Triton X-100, 10% glycerol), then, adsorbed on BlueSepharose CL-6B (Pharmacia) which has been equilibrated with the samebuffer solution. Then, the above-mentioned buffer solution flows withsodium chloride concentration being increased continuously from 0 to 3.0M, and active fractions are collected. The resulted active fractions aredialyzed against the same buffer solution, then, adsorbed on RedSepharose CL-6B (Pharmacia). Then, the above-mentioned buffer solutionflows with sodium chloride concentration being increased continuouslyfrom 0 to 3.0 M, and active fractions are collected to obtain a purifiedsample.

(j) Coenzyme:

β-nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphoric acid (NADP) is used as acoenzyme.

(k) Molecular Weight:

The molecular weight according to SDS polyacrylamide electrophoresismethod is about 57,500.

The 4-cholesten-3-one dehydrogenase A of the present invention producedby the CP 2 strain is a novel enzyme, and the physical and chemicalproperties and method for purification thereof are as follows.

(a) Action: It Catalyses the Following Reaction.

4-cholesten-3-one+NADH→coprostan-3-one+NAD

(b) Substrate Specificity

The relative activities are 0, 41 and 0 for testosterone, progesteroneand prognerone when the activity of 4-cholesten-3-one is defined as 100.

(c) Optimum pH: 5.4 to 6.5

(d) Stable pH: 5.5 to 7.2

(e) Measurement of Titer:

With 0.2 ml of 3 mM 4-cholesten-3-one micelle solution containing 0.33%Triton X-100 is mixed 0.3 ml of a 20 mM PIPES buffer solution (pH 7.5)containing 0.5% Triton X-100 and 1 mM DTT, and 0.1 ml of a 10 mM NADHsolution, the resulted mixture is added 0.05 ml of an enzyme solution,and reacted for 30 minutes at 37° C., and then added 0.1 ml ofchloroform to extract sterol and to terminate the reaction.

Then, the quantity of coprostan-3-one produced in the reaction solutionis determined using TLC/FID iatroscan. The quantity of coprostan-3-oneproduced in the reaction solution is determined likewise using aninactivated enzyme which has been previously heated as a control. Theenzyme activity which produces 1 μmol of coprostan-3-one per one minuteis regarded as 1 unit.

(f) Range of Suitable Reaction Temperature:

In reaction at pH 6.0 for 30 minutes, increasing temperature up to 40°C. is attended by increasing the activity

(g) Range of Temperature Stability

After heating treatment at 40° C. for 10 minutes, it keeps activity ofnot less than 80% of that before the treatment.

(h) Influence of Inhibitor, Metal Ion:

When 1 mM PCMB, iodine acetamide and EDTA are added and reacted for 30minutes at pH 7.5 and 37° C., the relative activities are 47, 94 and 82respectively, if the enzyme activity without adding inhibitor is definedas 100. Further, when the present enzyme is reacted in the presence of 1mM iron chloride and copper chloride, the relative activities are 110and 0, respectively, in comparison to the case of no addition.

(i) Purification Method:

Microbial cells are collected from the culture by centrifugalseparation, and the cells are suspended in a 20 mM PIPES buffer solution(pH 7.5, containing 1 mM MDTT) . The cells are disrupted byultrasonication , further, treated with ultrasonication in the presenceof 0.2% Triton X-100, solid components are removed by centrifugalseparation, to obtain a crude enzyme solution. The crude enzyme solutionis dialyzed against a 20 mM PIPES buffer solution (pH 7.5, containing 1mM DTT, 0.2% Triton X-100, 10% glycerol), then, adsorbed on BlueSepharose CL-6B (Pharmacia) which has been equilibrated with the samebuffer solution. Then, the above-mentioned buffer solution flows withsodium chloride concentration being increased continuously from 0 to 3.0M, and active fractions are collected. The resulted active fractions aredialyzed against the same buffer solution, then, adsorbed on ResourceColumn (Pharmacia). Then, the above-mentioned buffer solution flows withsodium chloride concentration being increased continuously from 0 to 1.0M, and active fractions are collected to obtain a purified sample.

(j) Coenzyme:

Reduced type β-nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) is used as acoenzyme.

(k) Molecular Weight:

The molecular weight according to SDS polyacrylamide electrophoresismethod is about 37,500.

The coprostan-3-one dehydrogenase A of the present invention produced bythe CP 2 strain is a novel enzyme, and the physical and chemicalproperties and method for purification thereof are as follows.

(a) Action: It Catalyses the Following Reaction.

coprostan-3-one+NADPH→coprostanol+NADP

(b) Substrate Specificity

The relative activities are 13.2 for 5α-cholesten-3-one when theactivity of coprostan-3-one is defined as 100.

(c) Optimum pH: 5.2 to 5.7

(d) Stable pH: 4.0 to 7.5

(e) Measurement of Titer:

With 0.2 ml of 3 mM coprostan-3-one micelle solution containing 0.33%Triton X-100 is mixed 0.3 ml of a 40 mM Britton-Robinson buffer solution(pH 6.0) containing 0.5% Triton X-100 and 1mM DTT, and 0.1 ml of a 10 mMNADPH solution, the resulted mixture is added 0.05 ml of an enzymesolution, reacted for 30 minutes at 37° C., and then added 0.1 ml ofchloroform to extract sterol and to terminate the reaction. The enzymesolution was mixed with equal amounts of activating fractions and leftfor 15 minutes at 5° C., then used.

Then, the quantity of coprostanol produced in the reaction solution isdetermined using TLC/FID iatroscan. The quantity of coprostanol in thereaction solution is determined likewise using an inactivated enzymewhich has been previously heated as a control. The enzyme activity whichproduces 1 μmol of coprostanol per one minute is regarded as 1 unit.

(f) Range of Suitable Reaction Temperature:

In reaction at pH 7.5 for 30 minutes, increasing temperature up to 40°C. is attended by increasing the activity.

(g) Range of Temperature Stability

After heating treatment at 40° C. for 10 minutes in the presence of 0.5mM NADPH, it keeps activity of not less than 80% of that before thetreatment.

(h) Influence of Inhibitor, Metal Ion:

When 1 mM PCMB, iodine acetamide and EDTA are added and reacted for 30minutes at pH 7.5 and 37° C., the relative activities are 41, 82 and 101respectively, if the enzyme activity without adding inhibitor is definedas 100. Further, when the present enzyme is reacted in the presence of 1mM iron chloride and copper chloride, the relative activities are 12 and2.7, respectively, in comparison with the case of no addition.

(i) Purification Method:

Method 1;

Microbial cells are collected from the culture by centrifugalseparation, and the cells are suspended in a 20 mM phosphoricacid-citric acid buffer solution (pH 6.0, containing 0.1 mM DTT). Thecells are disrupted by ultrasonication, further, treated withultrasonication in the presence of 0.2% Triton X-100, solid componentsare removed by centrifugal separation, to obtain a crude enzymesolution. The crude enzyme solution is dialyzed against a 20 mM PIPESbuffer solution (pH7.5, containing 1 mM DTT, 0.2% Triton X-100, 10%glycerol), then, passed through Blue Sepharose CL-6B (Pharmacia) whichhas been equilibrated with the same buffer solution, and fractions whichhave not been adsorbed on Blue Sepharose CL-6B are recovered, anddialyzed against a 20 mM phosphoric acid-citric acid buffer solution (pH6.0) (containing 0.5 mM NADPH, 1 mM DTT, 0.2% Triton X-100, 10%glycerol). The solution is adsorbed on DEAE-Cellulofine which has beenequilibrated with the same buffer solution, then, the buffer solutionflows with sodium chloride concentration being increased continuouslyfrom 0 to 1.0 M, and active fractions are collected and dialyzed againstthe buffer solution. The active fractions are adsorbed on Blue SepharoseCL-6B, and fractions which had not been adsorbed w ere recovered. Thefractions which had not been adsorbed were heated at 95° C. for 10minutes to remove protein and to obtain activating fractions. Then, theactive fractions which had been adsorbed on Blue Sepharose were elutedwith the same buffer solution containing 1 mM NADPH with sodium chlorideconcentration being increased continuously from 0 to 1.0 M. To theseactive fractions, the above-mentioned activating fractions were added toprepare a purified sample.

Method 2;

Microbial cells are collected from the culture by centrifugalseparation, and the cells are suspended in a 20 mM phosphoricacid-citric acid buffer solution (pH 6.0, containing 0.1 mM DTT). Thecells are disrupted by ultrasonication, further, treated withultrasonication in the presence of 0.2% Triton X-100, solid componentsare removed by centrifugal separation, to obtain a crude enzymesolution. The crude enzyme solution is dialyzed against a 20 mMphosphoric acid-citric acid buffer solution (pH 6.0, containing 1 mMDTT, 0.2% Triton X-100, 30% glycerol), then, adsorbed on Blue SepharoseCL-6B (Pharmacia) which has been equilibrated with the same buffersolution. Then, the above-mentioned buffer solution flows with sodiumchloride concentration being increased continuously from 0 to 3.0 M, andactive fractions are collected. The resulted active fractions aredialyzed against a 20 mM phosphoric acid-citric acid buffer solution B(pH7.5, containing 1 mM DTT, 0.2% Triton X-100, 30% glycerol), thenadsorbed on DEAE-Cellulofine which has been equilibrated with the samebuffer solution B, then, the buffer solution flows with sodium chlorideconcentration being increased continuously from 0 to 1.0 M, and activefractions are collected and dialyzed against the buffer solution. Theactive fractions are dialyzed against the same buffer solution B, thenadsorbed on Resource Column (Pharmacia). Then, the above-mentionedbuffer solution B flows with sodium chloride concentration beingincreased continuously from 0 to 1.0 M and active fractions arecollected to prepare a purified sample.

(j) Coenzyme:

Reduced type β-nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphoric acid (NADPH)is used as a coenzyme.

(k) Molecular Weight:

The molecular weight according to SDS polyacrylamide electrophoresismethod is about 29,000.

Then, the method for producing the novel cholesterol dehydrogenase B,4-cholesten-3-one dehydrogenase B and coprostan-3-one dehydrogenase B isdescribed below.

The microorganism used in producing the present enzymes may be anymicroorganism having the ability to produce the above-mentionedcholesterol dehydrogenase B, 4-cholesten-3-one dehydrogenase B andcoprostan-3-one dehydrogenase B, and may also be a variant species orvariant strain thereof. As a specific example of the microorganismhaving the ability to produce the cholesterol dehydrogenase B,4-cholesten-3-one dehydrogenase B and coprostan-3-one dehydrogenase Band belonging to Eubacterium, for example, Eubacterium sp. CP 1 islisted.

The above-mentioned Eubacterium sp. CP 1 is a strain which has beennewly separated from the feces of humans by the present inventors, andmycological properties thereof are as follows.

The present strain exhibits excellent growth by standing culture in asolution under anaerobic conditions at 37° C. using the following basalmedium. Tests regarding various properties were investigated under thiscondition.

Basal medium; 1.2% a bovine brain extracted lipid, 1.8% Trypticase,0.05% yeast extract, 0.13% dipotassium phosphate, 0.22% sodium chloride,0.05% cholesterol, 0.04% L-cystine, 0.03% sodium thioglycolate, 0.05%agar, and a small amount of 0.05% Methylene Blue (pH 7.2)

(a) Morphological Properties

{circle around (1)} Form of cell; long rod bacterium and grown in theform of chain

{circle around (2)} Size of cell; 0.3 to 0.5 Mm×3.0 to 5.0 μm

{circle around (3)} Polymorphism; none

{circle around (4)} Mobility; none

{circle around (5)} Spore; none

(b) Cultural Properties

No growth was observed in the bouillon plate agar-media and bouillonbroth media under aerobic or anaerobic conditions.

Cultural properties under culturing condition and basal medium in whichthe present strain can grow are shown below.

{circle around (1)} Basal medium agar plate culture (culturing for 21days)

i) Appearance of growth; forming powdery colony

ii) Color; white

iii) Gloss; none

iv) Dispersible pigment; none

{circle around (2)} Basal medium solution culture (culturing for 5 days)

i) Growth on surface; none

ii) Turbidity; grows, but, discrimination from sediment in a medium byturbidity is difficult

{circle around (3)} Gelatin stab culture in basal medium

i) Condition of growth; excellent

ii) Liquefaction of gelatin; none

(C) Physiological Properties in Basal Medium Culture

{circle around (1)} Gram staining; positive

{circle around (2)} Reduction of nitrate; negative

{circle around (3)} Litmus milk; coagulation negative

{circle around (4)} Generation of indole; negative

{circle around (5)} Generation of hydrogen sulfide; negative

{circle around (6)} Hydrolysis of starch; positive

{circle around (7)} Decomposition of esculin; positive

{circle around (8)} Utilization of an inorganic nitrogen source in amedium which has been obtained by removing trypticase and yeast extractfrom a basal medium

i) Nitrate; negative

ii) Ammonium salt; negative

{circle around (9)} Generation of pigment; none

{circle around (10)} Urease; negative

{circle around (11)} Oxidase; negative

{circle around (12)} Catalase; negative

{circle around (13)} Growth range

i) Growth pH range; pH 5 to pH 8 (optimum growth;

around pH 7)

ii) Growth temperature range; 33 to 40° C. (optimum growth temperature;around 34° C.)

{circle around (14)} Behavior against oxygen; strictly anaerobic

{circle around (15)} O-F test (Hugh Leifson method); negative

{circle around (16)} Generation of acid

i) L-arabinose; acid (small amount)

ii) D-xylose; acid (observed)

iii) D-glucose; acid (observed)

iv) D-mannose; acid (observed)

v) D-fructose; acid (small amount)

vi) D-galactose; acid (observed)

vii) maltose; acid (observed)

viii) Sucrose; acid (small amount)

ix) Lactose; acid (observed)

x) Trehalose; acid (none)

xi) D-sorbitol; acid (none)

xii) D-mannitol; acid (none)

xiii) Inositol; acid (none)

xiv) Glycerin; acid (none)

xv) Starch; acid (none)

xvi) Ribose; acid (observed)

xvii) Cellobiose; acid (observed)

xviii) Lactose; acid (observed)

xix) Melibiose; acid (observed)

xx) Raffinose; acid (observed)

xxi) Salicin; acid (observed)

xxii) Amygdalin; acid (observed)

xxiii) Melezitose; acid (none)

xxiv) Glycogen; acid (none)

xxv) Inulin; acid (none)

xxvi) Metabolite from saccharides; acetic acid

The present strain was gram positive strictly anaerobic long rodbacterium, did not form spores, had no mobility, was negative againstall of a catalase, oxydase and urease and formed acids from glucose, andmain metabolite thereof was acetic acid. The classificational positionof the strain having these mycological properties was compared withdescription of Bergey's Manual of Systematic Bacteriology vol. 2, 1986,as a result, the strain was identified as a bacterium belonging toEubacterium, and the CP 1 strain was named as Eubacterium sp. CP 1. Thisstrain was deposited in the name of FERM BP-5500 to National Instituteof Bioscience and Human-Technology Agency of Industrial Science andTechnology (Higashi 1-1-3, Tsukuba City, Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan) onApr. 12, 1996.

As the medium used for culturing a microorganism which producescholesterol dehydrogenase B, 4-cholesten-3-one dehydrogenase B andcoprostan-3-one dehydrogenase B of the present invention, any of thesynthetic mediums or natural mediums containing a carbon source,nitrogen source, inorganic substance and the like can be used.

As the carbon source, for example, various carbohydrates can be usedsuch as glucose, maltose, molasses and the like, and the amount usedthereof is preferably from 1 to 20 g/L.

As a nitrogen source, for example, ammonium sulfate, ammonium phosphate,ammonium carbonate and ammonium acetate, or nitrogen-containing organiccompounds such as peptone, yeast extract, corn steep liquor, caseindecomposed material, meat extract, and the like, can be used, and theamount used thereof is preferably from 1 to 20 g/L. The amount ofsolvent-extract used (chloroform:methanol=2:1) of a bovine brain lipidis preferably from 1 to 20 g/L.

As an inorganic substance, for example, sodium chloride, calciumchloride, magnesium sulfate, potassium monohydrogen phosphate and thelike are used, and the amount used thereof is preferably from 0.1 to 2g/L. The amount used of cystine and sodium thioglycolate is preferablyfrom 0.1 to 1 g/L.

Culturing is conducted under anaerobic conditions by standing culture orstirring culture. Culturing temperature may advantageously be atemperature at which a microorganism grows and produces cholesteroldehydrogenase B, 4-cholesten-3-one dehydrogenase B and coprostan-3-onedehydrogenase B, and preferably from 35 to 40° C. Culturing periodvaries depending on conditions, and culturing may advantageously beconducted until the maximum amount of these enzymes are produced,usually from about 3 to 10 days.

Cholesterol dehydrogenase B of the present invention that is produced bythe CP 1 strain is a novel enzyme, and the physical and chemicalproperties and method for purification thereof are as follows.

(a) Action: It Catalyses the Following Reaction.

Cholesterol+NADP→4-cholesten-3-one+NADPH

(b) Substrate Specificity

The present enzyme reacts with steroid having a hydroxyl group at 3βposition, and has relative activity of 67, 50 and 39 regarding βsitosterol, campesterol, stigmasterol when the activity of cholesterolis defined as 100.

(c) Optimum pH: 6.7 to 7.7

(d) Stable pH: 5.0 to 10.5

(e) Measurement of Titer:

With 0.2 ml of 3 mM cholesterol micelle solution containing 0.33% TritonX-100 is mixed 0.3 ml of a 50 mM phosphoric acid buffer solution (pH7.5) containing 1.0% Triton X-100 and 1 mM DTT, and 0.1 ml of a 10 mMNADP solution, to the resulted mixture is added 0.05 ml of an enzymesolution, reacted for 30 minutes at 37° C., and then added 0.1 ml ofchloroform to extract sterol and to terminate the reaction.

Then, the quantity of 4-cholesten-3-one produced in the reactionsolution is determined using TLC/FID iatroscan. The quantity of4-cholesten-3-one produced in the reaction solution is determinedlikewise using an inactivated enzyme which has been previously heated asa control. The enzyme activity which produces 1 μmol of4-cholesten-3-one per one minute is regarded as 1 unit.

(f) Range of Suitable Reaction Temperatures:

In reaction at pH 7.5 for 30 minutes, increasing temperature up to 40°C. is attended by increasing activity.

(g) Range of Temperature Stability

After heating treatment at 40° C. for 10 minutes ,it keeps activity ofnot less than 80% of that before the treatment.

(h) Influence of Inhibitor, Metal Ion:

When 1 mM PCMB, iodine acetic acid and EDTA are added and reacted for 30minutes at pH 7.5 and 37° C., the relative activities are 0, 98 and 102respectively, if the enzyme activity without adding inhibitor is 100.Further, when the present enzyme is reacted in the presence of 1 mM ironchloride and copper chloride, the relative activities are both 0 incomparison to the case of no addition.

(i) Purification Method:

Air is bubbled through the culture, and microbial cells adsorbed on thebubble are recovered and concentrated. The concentrated solution issubjected to centrifugal separation to collect the cells, and the cellsare suspended in a 20 mM phosphoric acid buffer solution (pH 7.5,containing 1 mM DTT). The cells are disrupted by ultrasonication,further, treated with ultrasonication in the presence of 1.0% TritonX-100, solid components are removed by centrifugal separation, to obtaina crude enzyme solution. To the crude enzyme solution is added 1 mMEDTA, 1 mM iodine acetic acid and 0.5 mM phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride(PMSF), and the mixture is dialyzed against a 20 mM Tris-hydrochloricacid buffer solution (pH 7.5, containing 1 mM DTT, 10% glycerol, 1 mMEDTA, 1 mM iodine acetic acid, and 0.5 mM PMSF) . The crude enzymesolution is adsorbed on Blue Sepharose CL-6B (Pharmacia) which has beenequilibrated with the same buffer solution containing 0.25% TritonX-100. Then, lipid components are eluted with the same buffer solutioncontaining 1.0% Triton X-100, then, the above-mentioned buffer solutionflows with sodium chloride concentration being increased continuouslyfrom 0 to 3.0 M, and active fractions are collected. The resulted activefractions are dialyzed against the above-mentioned buffer solution,then, adsorbed on DEAE-Sepharose Fast Flow which has been equilibratedwith the same buffer solution containing 1.0% Triton X-100. Then, theabove-mentioned buffer solution flows with sodium chloride concentrationbeing increased continuously from 0 to 0.5 M, and active fractions arecollected to obtain a purified sample.

(j) Coenzyme:

β-nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphoric acid (NADP) is used as acoenzyme.

The 4-cholesten-3-one dehydrogenase B of the present invention producedby the CP 1 strain is a novel enzyme, and the physical and chemicalproperties and method for purification thereof are as follows.

(a) Action: It Catalyses the Following Reaction.

4-cholesten-3-one+NADH→coprostan-3-one+NAD

(b) Substrate Specificity

The relative activities are 0 for 5-cholestenon-3-one when the activityof 4-cholesten-3-one is defined as 100.

(c) Optimum pH: 5.3 to 7.0

(d) Stable pH: 5.2 to 8.0

(e) Measurement of Titer:

With 0.2 ml of 3 mM 4-cholesten-3-one micelle solution containing 0.33%Triton X-100 is mixed 0.3 ml of a 20 mM Tris-hydrochloric acid buffersolution (pH 7.5) containing 1.0% Triton X-100and 1 mM DTT, and 0.1 mlof a 10 mM NADH solution, the resulted mixture is added 0.05 ml of anenzyme solution, reacted for 30 minutes at 37° C., and then added 0.1 mlof chloroform to extract sterol and to terminate the reaction.

Then, the quantity of coprostan-3-one produced in the reaction solutionis determined using TLC/FID iatroscan. The quantity of coprostan-3-oneproduced in the reaction solution is determined likewise using aninactivated enzyme which has been previously heated as a control. Theenzyme activity which produces 1 μmol of coprostan-3-one per one minuteis regarded as 1 unit.

(f) Range of Suitable Reaction Temperatures:

In reaction at pH 7.5 for 30 minutes, increasing temperature up to 40°C. is attended by increasing the activity.

(g) Range of Temperature Stability

After heating treatment at 37° C. for 10 minutes, it keeps activity ofnot less than 80% of that before the treatment.

(h) Influence of Inhibitor, Metal Ion:

When 1 mM PCMB, iodine acetamide and EDTA are added and reacted for 30minutes at pH 7.5 and 37° C., the relative activities are 0, 99 and 125,respectively, if the enzyme activity without adding inhibitor is 100.Further, when the present enzyme is reacted in the presence of 1 mM ironchloride and copper chloride, the relative activities are 107 and 0,respectively, in comparison with the case of no addition.

(i) Purification Method:

Air is bubbled through the culture, and microbial cells adsorbed on thebubble are recovered and concentrated. The concentrated solution issubjected to centrifugal separation to collect the cells, and the cellsare suspended in a 20 mM phosphoric acid buffer solution (pH 7.5,containing 1 mM DTT). The cells are disrupted by ultrasonication,further, treated with ultrasonication in the presence of 1.0% TritonX-100, solid components are removed by centrifugal separation, to obtaina crude enzyme solution. To the crude enzyme solution is added 1 mMEDTA, 1 mM iodine acetic acid and 0.5 mM PMSF, and the mixture wasdialyzed against a 20 mM Tris-hydrochloric acid buffer solution (pH 7.5,containing 1 mM DTT, 10% glycerol, 1 mM EDTA, 1 mM iodine acetic acid,and 0.5 mM PMSF) . The enzyme solution is adsorbed on Blue SepharoseCL-6B (Pharmacia) which has been equilibrated with the same buffersolution containing 0.25% Triton X-100. Then, lipid components areeluted with the same buffer solution containing 1.0% Triton X-100, then,the above-mentioned buffer solution flows with sodium chlorideconcentration being increased continuously from 0 to 3.0 M, and activefractions are collected. The resulted active fractions are dialyzedagainst the above-mentioned buffer solution, then, adsorbed onDEAE-Sepharose Fast Flow which has been equilibrated with the samebuffer solution containing 1.0% Triton X-100. Then, the above-mentionedbuffer solution flows with sodium chloride concentration being increasedcontinuously from 0 to 0.5 M, and active fractions are collected toobtain a purified sample.

(j) Coenzyme:

Reduced type β-nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) is used as acoenzyme.

The coprostan-3-one dehydrogenase B of the present invention produced bythe CP 1 strain is a novel enzyme, and the physical and chemicalproperties and method for purification thereof are as follows.

(a) Action: It Catalyses the Following Reaction.

coprostan-3-one+NADPH→coprostanol+NADP

(b) Substrate Specificity

The relative activities are 0 for 5α-cholesten-3-one when the activityof coprostan-3-one is defined as 100.

(c) Optimum pH: 5.4 to 7.6

(d) Stable pH: 4.5 to 7.0

(e) Measurement of Titer:

With 0.2 ml of 3 mM coprostan-3-one micelle solution containing 0.33%Triton X-100 is mixed 0.3 ml of a 20 mM Tris-hydrochloric acid buffersolution (pH 7.5) containing 1.0% Triton X-100 and 1 mM DTT, and 0.1 mlof a 10 mM NADPH solution, to the resulted mixture is added 0. 05 ml ofan enzyme solution, reacted for 30 minutes at 37° C., and then added 0.1ml of chloroform to extract sterol and to terminate the reaction.

Then, the quantity of coprostanol produced in the reaction solution isdetermined using TLC/FID iatroscan. The quantity of coprostanol in thereaction solution is determined likewise using an inactivated enzymewhich has been previously heated as a control. The enzyme activity whichproduces 1 μmol of coprostanol per one minute is regarded as 1 unit.

(f) Range of Suitable Reaction Temperature:

In reaction at pH 7.5 for 30 minutes, increasing temperature up to 45°C. is attended by increasing the activity.

(g) Range of Temperature Stability

After heating treatment at 45° C. for 10 minutes, it keeps activity ofnot less than 80% of that before the treatment.

(h) Influence of Inhibitor, Metal Ion:

When 1 mM PCMB, iodine acetamide and EDTA are added and reacted for 30minutes at pH 7.5 and 37° C., the relative activities are 0, 95 and 112,respectively, if the enzyme activity without adding inhibitor is 100.Further, when the present enzyme is reacted in the presence of 1 mM ironchloride and copper chloride, the relative activities are 105 and 0,respectively, in comparison to the case of no addition.

(i) Purification Method:

Air is bubbled through the culture, and microbial cells adsorbed on thebubbles are recovered and concentrated. The concentrated solution issubjected to centrifugal separation to collect the cells, and the cellsare suspended in a 20 mM phosphoric acid buffer solution (pH 7.5,containing 1 mM DTT). The cells are disrupted by ultrasonication,further, treated with ultrasonication in the presence of 1.0% TritonX-100, solid components are removed by centrifugal separation, to obtaina crude enzyme solution. To the crude enzyme solution is added 1 mMEDTA, 1 mM iodine acetic acid and 0.5 mM PMSF, and the mixture isdialyzed against a 20 mM Tris-hydrochloric acid buffer solution (pH 7.5,containing 1 mM DTT, 10% glycerol, 1 mM EDTA, 1 mM iodine acetic acid,and 0.5 mM PMSF) . The crude enzyme solution is adsorbed on BlueSepharose CL-6B (Pharmacia) which has been equilibrated with the samebuffer solution containing 0.25% Triton X-100. Then, lipid componentsare eluted with the same buffer solution containing 1.0% Triton X-100,then, the above-mentioned buffer solution flows with sodium chlorideconcentration being increased continuously from 0 to 3.0 M, and activefractions are collected. The resulting active fractions are dialyzedagainst the above-mentioned buffer solution, then, adsorbed onDEAE-Sepharose Fast Flow which has been equilibrated with the samebuffer solution containing 1.0% Triton X-100. Then, the above-mentionedbuffer solution flows with sodium chloride concentration being increasedcontinuously from 0 to 0.5 M, and active fractions are collected toobtain a purified sample.

(j) Coenzyme:

Reduced type β-nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphoric acid (NADPH)is used as a coenzyme.

As the cholesterol-reduced composition of the present invention,microbial cells or treated materials thereof, crude purified enzymes,purified enzymes and the like containing these three enzymes may be usedwithout any treatment provided they have activities of a cholesteroldehydrogenase, 4-cholesten-3-one dehydrogenase and coprostan-3-onedehydrogenase, and further, those in the form of tablets, powders, fineparticles, granules, capsules, syrups and the like molded with vehicleswhich are acceptable for food or medicine may be used. The compositionof the present invention may be added as a composition to be added intofood or feed for reducing the amount of cholesterol in the food or feed,or may be orally administered via oral route for reducing thecholesterol level in serum. When a crude purified enzyme or purifiedenzyme is used as the composition of the present invention, thecomposition optionally may be advantageously prepared so thatnicotinamide, phosphate ion or phospholipase is contained in thecomposition. Examples of the form of the oral composition of the presentinvention include tablets, powders, fine particles, granules, capsules,syrups, enteric agent, troches and the like. In the case of addition oradministration, as the vehicle, any compound such as saccharides likesorbitol, lactose, glucose, lactose, dextrin, starch, crystallinecellulose and the like; inorganic compounds like calcium carbonate,calcium sulfate and the like; distilled water, sesame oil, corn oil,olive oil, cotton seed oil and the like, generally can be used. Inpreparing the composition, additives such as binder, lubricant,disperser, suspending agent, emulsifying agent, diluent, bufferingagent, antioxidant, bacterium inhibiting agent and the like may be used.

The amount to be added may be advantageously controlled to be theabove-mentioned value necessary for the enzymatic conversion or themicrobial conversion in the method for producing a cholesterol-reducedsubstance of the present invention.

The dosage varies depending on age, sex, administration pattern, timesof administration, form and the like, and regarding dosage for oraladministration for adults, it is suitable that the amount of bacteria is1×10⁷ to 1×10¹² cell/day, preferably 1×10⁸ to 1×10¹¹ cell/day and theamount of three enzymes is 10 to 1×10⁵ unit/day, preferably 1×10² to1×10⁴ unit/day, and that the composition is divided into 1 to 4 portionsfor one day-administration. If necessary, dosage out of theabove-mentioned restriction can also be adopted.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a graph showing results of measurement of conversion enzymeactivity at pH 6, 7 and 8 of various cholesterol dehydrogenases derivedfrom microorganisms.

FIG. 2 is a graph showing results of measurement of optimum pH ofcholesterol dehydrogenases derived from a CP 2 strain and ATCC 51222strain belonging to Eubacterium.

FIG. 3 is a graph showing results of measurement of optimum pH ofcholesterol dehydrogenase A, 4-cholesten-3-one dehydrogenase A andcoprostan-3-one dehydrogenase A.

FIG. 4 is a graph showing progress of concentration of a CP 1 strainbelonging to Eubacterium and concentration of coprostanol in a mediumaccording to a bubbling method.

FIG. 5 is a graph showing results of measurement of optimum pH ofcholesterol dehydrogenase B, 4-cholesten-3-one dehydrogenase B andcoprostan-3-one dehydrogenase B.

FIG. 6 is a graph showing results of measurement of enzymatic conversionactivity of cholesterol dehydrogenase B when a phosphate ion is added.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

The following embodiments and comparative embodiments further illustratethe characteristics of the present invention, but, do not limit thescope thereof. In all embodiments, all parts are by weight unlessotherwise stated.

Embodiment 1 (screening of cholesterol reducing conversion enzymeproducing microorganism).

The present inventors have screened various microorganisms such as stockmicroorganisms mainly including 300 kinds (species level) ofactinomycetes, fungi and bacteria, aerobic bacteria separated from 100kinds of various soils, and anaerobic bacteria from 7 feces samples ofhumans, 8 feces samples of mammals other than humans and 9 feces samplesof birds, to find a cholesterol reducing conversion enzyme group havingoptimum pH in neutral pH range.

As a result, cholesterol reducing conversion enzymatic activity has beendetected which converts cholesterol to coprostanol in anaerobicmicroorganisms separated from feces, as shown below.

Each feces was separately poured on to 6 kinds of media for detection(see, Table 1) to which cholesterol had been added as a substrate, andreducing conversion enzymatic activity of cultured substance, namely,whether coprostanol had been generated from cholesterol or not wasinvestigated. The results are shown in Tables 2 to 4. In Table 1, CHOLrepresents cholesterol and PL represents phospholipid, respectively.

Formulations of nutrition media are as follows.

Nutrition Medium 1:

1.8% trypticase, 0.05% yeast extract, 0.13% dipotassium phosphate, 0.22%sodium chloride, 0.04% L-cystine, 0.03% sodium thioglycolate, 0.05% agar(pH 7.2)

Nutrition Medium 2:

1.0% casitone, 1.0% yeast extract, 0.5% lactose, 0.5% sodium pyruvate,0.05% sodium thioglycolate (pH 7.5)

Nutrition Medium 3:

0.24% Lab-lemco powder (Oxoid), 1.0% proteose peptone, 0.5% yeastextract, 0.4% disodium phosphate, 0.15% glucose, 0.05% soluble starch,0.02% cystine, 0.05% cysteine hydrochloride (pH 7.6 to 7.8).

TABLE 1 No. Additive {circle around (1)} Nutrition +1.2% bovine medium 1brain lipid {circle around (2)} Nutrition +1.2% bovine +5% medium 1brain lipid soybean oil {circle around (3)} Nutrition +0.2% CHOL +0.1%PL medium 2 {circle around (4)} Nutrition +0.2% CHOL +0.1% PL +1.2%bovine medium 2 brain lipid {circle around (5)} Nutrition +5% medium 3horse blood {circle around (6)} Nutrition +1.2% bovine +5% medium 3brain lipid horse blood

TABLE 2 Medium No. No. Mammal {circle around (1)} {circle around (2)}{circle around (3)} {circle around (4)} {circle around (5)} {circlearound (6)} 1 Bear 2 Giraffe 3 Zebra 4 Elephant 5 Lion + 6 Cheetah 7Koala 8 Tapir

TABLE 3 No. Human {circle around (1)} {circle around (2)} {circle around(3)} {circle around (4)} {circle around (5)} {circle around (6)} 1 Human1 + 2 Human 2 3 Human 3 4 Human 4 5 Human 5 6 Human 6 7 Human 7

TABLE 4 No. Bird {circle around (1)} {circle around (2)} {circle around(3)} {circle around (4)} {circle around (5)} {circle around (6)} 1Ostrich 2 Crane 3 Emu 4 Pheasant 5 Flamingo + 6 Japanese crested ibis 7Red-crested white crane 8 Japanese great tit + 9 Peacock

As can be seen from Tables 2 to 4, growth of microorganisms havingreducing conversion enzymatic activity was detected from cultivatedmaterials in 4 kinds of feces of human sample 1 (nutrition medium 1),lion (nutrition medium 4), red flamingo (nutrition medium 3) andJapanese great tit (nutrition medium 2), and the enzymatic activitycould not be detected from feces samples 2 to 7 of humans, feces samplesof mammals other than lion such as bear, giraffe and the like, and fecessamples of birds other than flamingo and Japanese great tit such asostrich, crane and the like. As described above, reducing conversionenzymatic activity could be detected from specific feces of specifickinds of animals, and in addition, only in specific media.

Embodiments 2 (selection of an enzyme having optimum pH in neutral pHrange)

The culture in 4 kinds of feces of human sample 1, lion, red flamingoand Japanese great tit in which conversion activity from cholesterol tocoprostanol was detected, and a culture of a bacterium belonging toEubacterium ATCC 51222 described in the above-mentioned Beitz, et al.,Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology 43, 887 (1995), were,respectively, treated with ultrasonication to disrupt the bacterialcells (Eubacterium species ATCC 21408 described in Beitz, et al., U.S.Pat. No. 4,921,710 could not be obtained from ATCC) . Conversion activefractions in this disrupted cells were adsorbed on Blue Sepharose andeluted, cholesterol dehydrogenase active fractions were investigated inthe cholesterol conversion system, and the activity was measured at pH6, pH 7 and pH 8, and the results are shown in FIG. 1.

As is known also from FIG. 1, cholesterol dehydrogenase A from the CP 2strain derived from lion and cholesterol dehydrogenase B from the CP 1strain derived from human sample 1 exhibited maximum activity at near pH7 which is in neutral pH range and other samples exhibited maximumactivity at near pH 8 which is in alkaline pH range. Thus, a cholesteroldehydrogenase having an optimum pH in neutral pH range has not beenknown yet until now, therefore, it is a novel enzyme.

Embodiment 3 (production of cells of Eubacterium sp. CP 2)

20 g of casitone (Difco), 20 g of yeast extract (Difco), 10 g of solublestarch, 10 g of sodium pyruvate, 1g of sodium thioglycolate, 1 g ofpotassium chloride and 0.2 g of lecithin (type 4S, Sigma) were dissolvedin 2 L of de-ionized water, pH thereof was controlled at 7.5, and thesolution was poured into 3 liter Erlenmeyer flasks, separately. Thismedium was sterilized at 120° C. for 15 minutes, then, the CP 2 strainwas inoculated, and standing culture in anaerobic condition wasconducted at a temperature of 37° C. for 7 days. After completion of theculture, 8.5 g of a precipitate was obtained from 2 L of the culture bycentrifugal separation, and the precipitate was used as cells-containingmaterial.

Embodiment 4 (production of extracted material from cells of Eubacteriumsp. CP 2)

The cells-containing material obtained in Embodiment 3 was suspended in30 ml of 40 mM Britton-Robinson buffer solution (pH 6.5), and the cellssuspension was treated with an ultrasonication at 60 W for 10 minutes,to obtain extracted material from the cells.

Embodiment 5 (production of cholesterol dehydrogenase A)

The extracted material obtained in Embodiment 4 was treated withultrasonicaion for 30 seconds in the presence of 1 mM DTT and 0.2%Triton X-100, and then solid components were removed by centrifugalseparation to obtain a crude enzyme solution. The crude enzyme solutionwas dialyzed against a 20 mM PIPES buffer solution (pH 7.5, containing 1mM DTT, 0.2% Triton X-100 and 10% glycerol), then, adsorbed on BlueSepharose CL-6B (Pharmacia) equilibrated with the buffer solution. Then,the buffer solution was flown with sodium chloride concentration beingincreased continuously from 0 to 3.0 M, and active fractions werecollected. The resulted active fractions were dialyzed against theafore-said buffer solution, then, adsorbed on Red Sepharose CL-6B(Pharmacia) . Then, the above-mentioned buffer solution was flown withsodium chloride concentration being increased continuously from 0 to 3.0M, and active fractions were collected to prepare a purified sample. Thespecific activity of this purified sample was 4.49 unit/mg protein, andthe yield thereof was 37.4%.

This purified sample was subjected to SDS polyacrylamide gelelectrophoresis, and dyed by using a silver staining kit (Daiichi KagakuK.K.), and a single band was recognized in the position of molecularweight of about 58,800.

Comparative Embodiment 1 (optimum pH of cholesterol dehydrogenase)

ATCC 51222 strain and CP 2 strain was inoculated to the medium describedin Embodiment 3, respectively, and standing culture in anaerobiccondition was conducted at a temperature of 37° C. for 7 days. Aftercompletion of the culture, cells-containing material was obtained fromthe culture solution by centrifugal separation, and thiscells-containing material was suspended in 50 ml of 40 mMBritton-Robinson buffer solution (pH 6.5), and the cell suspension wastreated with an ultrasonicaion at 60 W for 10 minutes, to obtainextracted material from cells. A purified sample of cholesteroldehydrogenase was obtained according to the method described inEmbodiment 3 from this extracted material.

The relative activities of these enzymes at various pH values are shownin FIG. 2. As is known from FIG. 2, the cholesterol dehydrogenase of theCP 2 strain having an optimum pH in a neutral side corresponding to pHof meat, egg and milk is more excellent in food treatment than thecholesterol dehydrogenase of ATCC 51222 strain having optimum pH inalkaline side.

Embodiment 6 (production of 4-cholesten-3-one dehydrogenase A)

The extracted material obtained in Embodiment 4 was treated withultrasonication for 30 seconds in the presence of 1 mM DTT and 0.2%Triton X-100, and solid components were removed by centrifugalseparation to obtain a crude enzyme solution. The crude enzyme solutionwas dialyzed against a 20 mM PIPES buffer solution (pH 7.5, containing 1mM DTT, 0.2% Triton X-100 and 10% glycerol), then, adsorbed on BlueSepharose CL-6B (Pharmacia) equilibrated with the buffer solution. Then,the buffer solution was flown with sodium chloride concentration beingincreased continuously from 0 to 3.0 M, and active fractions werecollected. The resulted active fractions were dialyzed against theafore-said buffer solution, then, adsorbed on Resource Column(Pharmacia) . Then, the above-mentioned buffer solution was flown withsodium chloride concentration being increased continuously from 0 to 1.0M, and active fractions were collected to prepare a purified sample. Thespecific activity of this purified sample was 3.31 unit/mg protein, andthe yield thereof was 40.1%.

This purified sample was subjected to SDS polyacrylamide gelelectrophoresis, and dyed by using a silver staining kit (Daiichi KagakuK.K.), and a single band was recognized in the position of molecularweight of about 37,500.

Embodiment 7 (production of coprostan-3-one dehydrogenase A)

The extracted material obtained in Embodiment 4 was treated withultrasonication for 30 seconds in the presence of 1 mM DTT and 0.2%Triton X-100, and solid components were removed by centrifugalseparation to obtain a crude enzyme solution. The crude enzyme solutionwas dialyzed against a 20 mM PIPES buffer solution (pH 7.5, containing 1mM DTT, 0.2% Triton X-100 and 10% glycerol), then, passed through BlueSepharose CL-6B (Pharmacia) equilibrated with the buffer solution,fractions which had not been adsorbed on Blue Sepharose CL-6B wererecovered, and dialyzed against 20 mM phosphoric acid-citric acid buffersolution (pH 6.0) (containing 0.5 mM NADPH, 1 mM DTT, 0.2% Triton X-100and 10% glycerol) . The enzyme solution was adsorbed on DEAE-Cellulofineequilibrated with the buffer solution, then, the buffer solution wasflown with sodium chloride concentration being increased continuouslyfrom 0 to 1.0 M, and active fractions were collected, then, dialyzedagainst the afore-said buffer solution, then, the active components wereadsorbed on Blue Sepharose CL-6B, and non-adsorbed fractions wererecovered. The non-adsorbed fractions were heated for 10 minutes at 95°C. to remove protein to prepare activating fractions. Then, elution wasconducted using the above-mentioned buffer solution containing 1 mMNADPH with sodium chloride concentration being increased continuouslyfrom 0 to 3.0 M, and active fractions were collected, andabove-mentioned activating fractions were added to prepare a purifiedsample. The specific activity of this purified sample was 4.51 unit/mgprotein, and the yield thereof was 19.0%.

Embodiment 8 (production of coprostan-3-one dehydrogenase A)

The cells-containing material obtained in Embodiment 3 was suspended in30 ml of a 20 mM phosphoric acid-citric acid buffer solution (pH 6.0, 1mM DTT) and the cells suspension was treated by an ultrasonicator(BRANSON SONIFIER Model. 250) for 5 minutes at 120 W, to obtainextracted material from the cells. This extracted material was treatedwith ultrasonication for 30 seconds in the presence of 1 mM DTT and 0.2%Triton X-100, and solid components were removed by centrifugalseparation to obtain a crude enzyme solution. The crude enzyme solutionwas dialyzed against 20 mM phosphoric acid-citric acid buffer solution A(pH 6.0, containing 1 mM DTT, 0.2% Triton X-100 and 30% glycerol), then,adsorbed on Blue Sepharose CL-6B (Pharmacia) equilibrated with thebuffer solution, then, the above-mentioned buffer solution was flownwith sodium chloride concentration being increased continuously from 0to 3.0 M, and active fractions were collected. The resulted activefractions were dialyzed against 20 mM phosphoric acid-citric acid buffersolution B (pH 7.5, containing 1 mM DTT, 0.2% Triton X-100 and 30%glycerol), then, adsorbed on DEAE-Cellulofine equilibrated with thebuffer solution B, then, the above-mentioned buffer solution was flownwith sodium chloride concentration being increased continuously from 0to 1.0 M, active fractions were collected and dialyzed against the samebuffer solution. The resulting active fractions were dialyzed againstthe same buffer solution B, then, adsorbed on Resource Column(Pharmacia). Then, the buffer solution B was flown with sodium chlorideconcentration being increased continuously from 0 to 1.0 M, and activefractions were collected to prepare a purified sample. The specificactivity of this purified sample was 4.90 unit/mg protein, and the yieldthereof was 9.5%.

This purified sample was subjected to SDS polyacrylamide gelelectrophoresis, and dyed by using a silver staining kit (Daiichi KagakuK.K.), and a single band was recognized in the position of molecularweight of about 29,000.

Embodiment 9 (optimum pH of enzyme system from CP 2 strain derived fromlion)

Now, it will be shown that an enzyme system from the CP 2 derived fromlion is particularly excellent in meat treatment. This enzyme system hasoptimum pH for reducing sequentially from cholesterol dehydrogenasethrough 4-cholesten-3-one dehydrogenase to coprostan-3-onedehydrogenase. And the optimum pH of cholesterol dehydrogenase is in aneutral range, and the optimum pH values of 4-cholesten-3-onedehydrogenase and coprostan-3-one dehydrogenase are within the pH rangefrom 5.5 to 6.5 which is a weak acidic range corresponding to the pH ofmeat. Therefore, when meat treatment is conducted using this enzymesystem, cholesterol in meat can be continuously converted to coprostanolwithout stock of intermediates such as 4-cholesten-3-one andcoprostan-3-one. The measurement results of the optimum pH values ofthese enzymes are shown in FIG. 3.

Embodiment 10 (enzymatic conversion to coprostanol in aging period ofmeat)

10 g of beef 6 hours after slaughtering was made into minced meat, andto this was added the cholesterol dehydrogenase obtained in Embodiment 5(0.2 unit/g meat), the 4-cholesten-3-one dehydrogenase obtained inEmbodiment 6 (0.2 unit/g meat) and the coprostan-3-one dehydrogenaseobtained in Embodiment 7 (0.2 unit/g meat) and mixed, and the mixturewas aged at 5° C. for 7 days. Also, mixtures to which 0.5 ml of a 20%aqueous nicotinamide solution had been further added, meat to whichphospholipase (2 unit/g meat) had been further added and meat to whichboth of them had been further added at the mixing were aged at 5° C. for7 days, respectively.

After aging, the meat was freeze-dried and lipid components wereextracted with a 25 ml extraction solvent (chloroform:methanol=2:1).Regarding the resulting extracted sample, the amount of converted sterolproducts was determined using gas chromatography (manufactured by GLScience, TC-1701, column φ 0.25 μm×30 m). The conversion ratio ofcholesterol to coprostanol in the meat was measured, and the results areshown in Table 5. In Table 5, PL-D represents phospholipase D and COPrepresents coprostanol, respectively.

As can be seen from Table 5, conversion to coprostanol could not beobserved when only a conversion enzyme was added, and the conversionincreased synergistically when nicotinamide was added or when bothnicotinamide and phospholipase D were added.

TABLE 5 Teating type COP conversion (%) No addition 0 Enzyme 0 Enzyme +PL-D 0.84 Nicotinamide 0 Enzyme + nicotinamide 4.4 Enzyme + PL-D +nicotinamide 49.1

Embodiment 11 (enzymatic conversion to coprostanol in processing meat)

10 g of beef 6 hours after slaughtering was made into minced meat, andfurther homogenated. To this homogenated meat was added and mixed thecells-extracted material described in Embodiment 4, and the mixture washeated at 37° C. for 2 hours. The amounts to be added were 0.2 unit/gmeat for cholesterol dehydrogenase A, 0.4 unit/g meat for4-cholesten-3-one dehydrogenase A and 0.4 unit/g meat forcoprostan-3-one dehydrogenase A. Also, a mixture to which 0.5 ml of a20% aqueous nicotinamide solution had been further added at the mixingwas processed similarly.

After completion of the processing, the conversion ratio to coprostanolin the resulted sample was measured according to the method inEmbodiment 10. The conversion ratio of cholesterol to coprostanol in theresulting meat was measured, and the results are shown in Table 6.

As is known also from Table 6, enzymatic conversion of cholesterol tocoprostanol in meat could be recognized only with addition of an enzymesource. When nicotinamide was added, the conversion ratio furtherincreased.

TABLE 6 meat treating type COP conversion (%) No addition 0 Enzyme 12.1Enzyme + nicotinamide 51.5

Embodiment 12 (microbial conversion of cholesterol in processing meet)

10 g of commercially available beef was processed into meat paste by afood cutter, then, to this was added 0.57 g of cells of the CP 2 straindescribed in Embodiment 3. This mixture was fermented at 37° C. for 20hours to obtain processed meat. After completion of the processing, theconversion ratio to coprostanol in the resulting sample was measuredaccording to the method in Embodiment 10. The conversion ratio ofcholesterol to coprostanol in the resulting meat was 82.3%.

Embodiment 13 (microbial conversion of cholesterol in milk)

To 10 ml of commercially available milk was added 0.42 g of cells of theCP 2 strain described in Embodiment 3, and this mixture was fermented at37° C. for 20 hours to obtain processed milk. After completion of theprocessing, the conversion ratio to coprostanol in the resulting samplewas measured according to the method in Embodiment 10. The conversionratio to coprostanol in the resulting meat was 64.4%.

Embodiment 14 (microbial conversion of cholesterol in egg)

With 10 ml of a 10% aqueous yolk solution was mixed 0.42 g of cells ofthe CP 2 strain described in Embodiment 3, and this mixture wasfermented at 37° C. for 20 hours to obtain a processed egg. Aftercompletion of the processing, the conversion ratio to coprostanol in theresulting sample was measured according to the method in Embodiment 10.The conversion ratio of cholesterol to coprostanol in the resulting eggwas 27.8%.

Embodiment 15 (Production of cells of Eubacterium sp. CP 1)

Commercially available bovine brain was homogenated and freeze-dried,and extracted three times with a 3-fold amount of extraction solvent(chloroform:methanol=2:1), then, the solvent was removed to obtain alipid extract. The yield was 51.9% in terms of dry weight.

48 g of this bovine brain lipid extract, 72 g of trypticase (BBL), 2 gof yeast extract (Difco), 8.8 g of sodium chloride, 5.2 g of dipotassiumhydrogen phosphate, 2 g of Bacto Agar (Difco), 1.6 g of L-cystine, 2 gof cholesterol, 1.2 g of sodium thioglycolate were dissolved in 4 L ofde-ionized water, and pH of the solution was controlled to 7.2, andpoured into two 3-L Erlenmeyer flasks separately. This medium wassterilized at 120° C. for 15 minutes, then, a CP 1 strain wasinoculated, and stirring culture in anaerobic condition was conducted at37° C. for 5 days.

The recovering of cells of the CP 1 strain from the culture wasconducted by centrifugal separation which is an ordinary method ofrecovering microbial cells. However, the CP 1 strain was adsorbed on aninsoluble lipid and coagulated, the specific gravity thereof decreasedand the strain became inhomogeneous. Therefore, the cells could not berecovered. Because it was suggested that the surface of the cells washydrophobic and since the cells were adsorbed on an insoluble lipid, thecells were adsorbed on hydrophobic air by a bubbling method andrecovered. Namely, air was bubbled in from the lower side of the culturefilled into a column, and a part of the bubble on which the cellsconcentrated was recovered from the upper end of the column. Thisoperation was repeated several times for obtaining a cells-concentrate.Whether the cells-concentrate was obtained or not was recognized bymeasuring the activity of 4-cholesten-3-one dehydrogenase B in theextracted material which was obtained by treating a sample solutiontaken from the bubble part and a remaining sample solution afterrecovering the bubble part by an ultrasonicator at 60 W for 10 minutes.The results when the bubbling was conducted twice are shown in FIG. 4.From FIG. 4, it is known that the bubbling method is effective forrecovering cells of the CP 1 strain.

Embodiment 16 (production of cholesterol dehydrogenase B,4-cholesten-3-one dehydrogenase B and coprostan-3-one dehydrogenase B byEubacterium sp. CP 1 strain)

The cells-concentrate obtained in Embodiment 15 is centrifugallyseparated, the resulting cells are suspended in a 20 mMTris-hydrochloric acid buffer solution (pH 7.5, containing 1 mMdithiothreitol). The cells are disrupted by ultrasonication, further,treated with ultrasonication in the presence of 1.0% Triton X-100, then,solid components are removed by centrifugal separation, to obtain acrude enzyme solution. To the crude enzyme solution is added 1 mM EDTA,1 mM iodine acetic acid and 0.5 mM PMSF, and the mixture is dialyzedagainst a 20 mM Tris-hycrochloric acid buffer solution (pH 7.5,containing 1 mM dithiothreitol, 10% glycerol, 1 mM EDTA, 1 mM iodineactic acid, 0.5 mM PMSF). The crude enzyme solution was diluted to a4-fold volume with the same buffer solution, then, adsorbed on BlueSepharose CL-6B (Pharmacia) which has been equilibrated with the samebuffer solution containing 0.25% Triton X-100. Then, lipid componentsare eluted with the same buffer solution containing 1.0% Triton X-100,then, the above-mentioned buffer solution flows with sodium chlorideconcentration being increased continuously from 0 to 3.0 M, and activefractions are collected. The resulting active fractions are dialyzedagainst the above-mentioned buffer solution, then, adsorbed on Resouce(Pharmacia) which has been equilibrated with the same buffer solutioncontaining 1.0% Triton X-100. Then, the above-mentioned buffer solutionflows with sodium chloride concentration increased continuously from 0to 0.5 M, and active fractions are collected to prepare a purifiedproduct.

In this purified product, the specific activity of cholesteroldehydrogenase B was 0.116 unit/mg protein, and the yield thereof was32.1%, the specific activity of 4-cholesten-3-one dehydrogenase B was1.24 unit/mg protein, and the yield thereof was 65.2%, and the specificactivity of coprostan-3-one dehydrogenase B was 0.835 unit/mg protein,and the yield thereof was 54.8%. The results of measurement of optimumpH values of these enzymes are shown in FIG. 5.

Embodiment 17 (activation of cholesterol dehydrogenase B by phosphoricacid)

Conversion reaction by cholesterol dehydrogenase B is remarkablyactivated by a phosphate ion. As the phosphate ion source, sodiumpolyphosphate, sodium metaphosphate, sodium pyrophosphate, trisodiumphosphate and the like can be used, and the results when trisodiumphosphate was used are shown in FIG. 6. From this, it is known thataddition of a phosphate ion is desirable in conversion of cholesterol tocoprostanol using cholesterol dehydrogenase B.

Embodiment 18 (enzymatic conversion of cholesterol in meat using enzymesof Eubacterium sp. CP 1)

10 g of beef 6 hours after slaughtering was made into minced meat, andto this was added each enzyme described in Embodiment 15 and 0.05 g ofsodium phosphate, and the mixture was heated at 37° C. for 2 hours. Theamounts to be added were 0.2 unit/g meat for cholesterol dehydrogenaseB, 0.2 unit/g meat for 4-cholesten-3-one dehydrogenase B and 0.2 unit/gmeat for coprostan-3-one dehydrogenase B. Also, a mixture to which 0.5ml of a 20% aqueous nicotinamide solution had been further added at themixing was processed similarly.

After completion of the processing, the conversion ratio to coprostanolin the resulting sample was measured according to the method inEmbodiment 10. The conversion ratio of cholesterol to coprostanol in theresulted meat was measured, and the results are shown in Table 7. As canbe seen also from Table 7, enzymatic conversion ratio of cholesterol tocoprostanol in meat could be recognized only with addition of enzymes.When nicotinamide was added, the conversion ratio was further increased.

TABLE 7 Meat treating type COP conversion (%) No addition 0 Cell extract28.1 Cell extract + nicotinamide 68.1

Embodiments 19

Tablets (300 mg per one tablet) are produced by the usual methodaccording to the following formulation.

Dried cells of the CP 1 strain (1 × 10¹⁰ cells) 10 mg Lactose 230 mg Corn Starch 30 mg Synthetic aluminum silicate 12 mgCarboxymethylcellulose calcium 15 mg Magnesium stearate  3 mg

Embodiments 20

Tablets (300 mg per one tablet) are produced by the usual methodaccording to the following formulation.

Dried cells of the CP 2 strain (1 × 10¹⁰ cells) 10 mg Lactose 190 mg Corn Starch 70 mg Synthetic aluminum silicate 12 mgCarboxymethylcellulose calcium 15 mg Magnesium stearate  3 mg

Embodiments 21

Hard capsules (700 mg per one capsule) are produced according to thefollowing formulation.

Cholesterol dehydrogenase A 100 mg (purified sample described inEmbodiment 5) 4-Cholesten-3-one dehydrogenase A 150 mg (purified sampledescribed in Embodiment 6) Coprostan-3-one dehydrogenase A 100 mg(purified sample described in Embodiment 8) Lactose 230 mg Corn Starch100 mg Hydroxypropylcellulose  20 mg

To 100 mg of cholesterol dehydrogenase A and 100 mg of coprostan-3-onedehydrogenase A, respectively, and 150 mg of 4-cholesten-3-onedehydrogenase A are added 230 mg of lactose and 100 mg of corn starchand mixed, to this mixture is added an aqueous solution of 20 mg ofhydroxypropycellulose and kneaded. Then, granules are produced by anordinary method using an extrusion granulator. These granules are filledin a gelatin hard capsule to produce a hard capsule.

Embodiments 22

Powders (1000 mg per one piece) are produced by an ordinary methodaccording to the following formulation.

Cholesterol dehydrogenase B 100 mg (purified sample described inEmbodiment 15) 4-Cholesten-3-one dehydrogenase B 150 mg (purified sampledescribed in Embodiment 15) Coprostan-3-one dehydrogenase B 100 mg(purified sample described in Embodiment 15) Nicotinamide  50 mg Lactose430 mg Corn Starch 170 mg

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

According to the present invention, cholesterol concentration can bereduced by converting cholesterol in a substance selectively tocoprostanol having low intestinal tract absorbability without losing theproperty and condition of the cholesterol-containing substance such asmeat and the like.

Further, the cholesterol level in serum can be reduced by orallyadministrating a composition of microbial cells-containing the novelenzyme of the present invention and converting cholesterol tocoprostanol in the small intestine to inhibit absorption of thecholesterol.

What is claimed is:
 1. A process for producing a cholesterol-reducedsubstance, comprising converting cholesterol in a cholesterol-containingsubstance into coprostanol via 4-cholesten-3-one and coprostan-3-one bycontacting said cholesterol-containing substance with cholesteroldehydrogenase, 4-cholesten-3-one dehydrogenase and coprostan-3-onedehydrogenase, wherein enzymatic action of said cholesteroldehydrogenase, 4-cholesten-3-one dehydrogenase and coprostan-3-onedehydrogenase reduces the amount of cholesterol, and wherein thecholesterol dehydrogenase is a cholesterol dehydrogenase isolated fromEubacterium sp. CP 1, FERM BP-5500 or Eubacterium sp. CP 2, FERMBP-5501.
 2. The process of claim 1, wherein the cholesteroldehydrogenase is a cholesterol dehydrogenase having optimum pH in theneutral pH range.
 3. A process for producing a cholesterol-reducedsubstance, comprising converting cholesterol in a cholesterol-containingsubstance into coprostanol via cholesten-3-one and coprostan-3-one bycontacting said cholesterol-containing substance with cholesteroldehydrogenase, 4-cholesten-3-one dehydrogenase and coprostan-3-onedehydrogenase, wherein the cholesterol dehydrogenase, 4-cholesten-3-onedehydrogenase and coprostan-3-one dehydrogenase enzymes have beenisolated from Eubacterium sp. CP2, FERM BP-5501, wherein enzymaticaction of said cholesterol dehydrogenase, 4-cholesten-3-onedehydrogenase and coprostan-3-one dehydrogenase reduce amount of thecholesterol, and wherein the cholesterol dehydrogenase is a cholesteroldehydrogenase having optimum pH in the neutral pH range.
 4. A processfor producing a cholesterol-reduced substance, comprising convertingcholesterol in a cholesterol-containing substance into coprostanol viacholesten-3-one and coprostan-3-one by contacting saidcholesterol-containing substance with cholesterol dehydrogenase,4-cholesten-3-one dehydrogenase and coprostan-3-one dehydrogenase,wherein the cholesterol dehydrogenase, 4-cholesten-3-one dehydrogenaseand coprostan-3-one dehydrogenase enzymes have been isolated fromEubacterium sp. CP 1, FERM BP-5500, wherein enzymatic action of saidcholesterol dehydrogenase, 4-cholesten-3-one dehydrogenase andcoprostan-3-one dehydrogenase reduce amount of the cholesterol, andwherein the cholesterol dehydrogenase is a cholesterol dehydrogenasehaving optimum pH in the neutral pH range.